When a musician of a stringed musical instrument performs, he has at least two concerns. One is where to put his carrying case, which is usually rather large and bulky. The other is where to store the instrument when not it is not in use so that the instrument is both protected from disturbances yet easily accessible; the necessity for accessibility is extremely important for the musician who plays two or more instruments during one song.
The musician's sensitivity to both of these problems is heightened when the performance area is small and must be shared with other musicians who also play stringed musical instruments.
Additionally, the musician is further encumbered when he is forced to carry both his instrument and an instrument stand. Obviously, if the musician could reduce the number of items that he had to carry, it would be advantageous to him.
Several devices disclosed in issued patents seek to address these problems. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,147,254 to Bruce (the '254 patent) discloses a combination carrying case and instrument stand. The case has a pair of front panels that are each hingedly connected along the side to a side panel. Each side panel is then in turn hingedly connected to a back panel. The case can stand upright and serve as an instrument stand when the front and side panels are moved from the closed position to the open position. The device taught by the '254 patent is disadvantageous, however, because the front cover is formed of a double panel. Also, it does not incorporate a conventional carrying case, so manufacturing is more complicated than if a conventional carrying case were adapted for use as an instrument stand.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,223,785 to Jacques (the '785 patent) discloses a combination case and instrument stand. The case has a body portion and a neck portion and the lower end thereof is provided with a flat bottom supporting surface. A pair of doors opens and close upon themselves to define an instrument display position and an instrument carrying position. The device taught by the '785 patent is disadvantageous, however, because the front cover is not formed of a single panel, rather it has a plurality of hinges positioned along a longitudinal axis of the front panel. Also, it does not incorporate a conventional carrying case, so manufacturing is more complicated than if a conventional carrying case were adapted for use as an instrument stand.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,833,051 to Tiefenbrun et al. (the '051 patent) discloses a guitar case that comprises a plurality of inflatable bladders for defining a compartment for receiving a guitar and for resiliently supporting the guitar placed in the compartment. An instrument stand position is formed by inflating a balloon (76), which, when inflated, allows the case body to rest in a slightly inclined position allowing the user relatively quick access to the instrument. The use of balloons, however, is disadvantageous as they are subject to punctures, which may render them inoperable and require down-time while repairs are made.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,145,801 to Herring, Jr. (the '801 patent) discloses a folding instrument case stand that is attachable to the instrument case and supports the case in an upright, tilted position. The stand has spring-loaded diverging legs that are pivotal relative to a central frame between a folded and an extended position. When the legs are in the folded configuration, the stand can be transported with the instrument case. When in the extended position, the opened case functions as an instrument stand.
What is needed, then, is a free-standing instrument case that is easily converted to an instrument stand, which utilizes a conventional stringed instrument case, which has a front cover formed from a single panel, which is simple and easy to use, and which is relatively inexpensive to manufacture.